It’s a relaxing summer day at the pool. The sun is shining, the drinks are cold, a campy top 40 pop song is playing on the radio and life is nearly perfect. That is, until later in the evening when your skin is red, your feet are sore and you’re feeling uneasy about a little something down under. Don’t let this turn of events scare you. It’s not too late!
Whether you’re soaking up the sun or swimming at the shore, biking your commute to work or tending to the flowers in your backyard garden, these skincare tips will ensure you avoid that summertime sadness by maintaining a beautiful face and sexy bod throughout summer vacation and into the fall.
Saving Face
Wearing sunglasses that provide protection from UV rays will reduce the likelihood of developing wrinkles around your eyes as well as skin cancer of the face and cataracts. Lips are also vulnerable. Remember to wear lip balm that has an SPF component. Some of the products you use to reduce acne or fight off infections can leave your skin more vulnerable to the damaging effects of UV rays. Antibiotics like doxycycline and tigecycline, and skin care products containing benzoyl peroxide, retinoid or certain acids (lactic acid, hyaluronic acid, etc.) can increase your risk of sunburn. On the flip side, all natural products like Aloe Vera, adding oatmeal or baking soda to a cool bath, or applying corn starch or mashed potatoes to affected areas have been known to help reduce the painful, burning side effects associated with bad sunburn.
Below the Belt
When you swim in a public pool or use a hot tub, sauna or bathing facility, it’s always a good idea to dry off completely, shower or change out of your bathing suit when you’re finished. If not, you run the risk of contracting skin infections like folliculitis, and molluscum contagiosum, many of which can last several months to a year after the initial infection and may be transmitted sexually. Tea tree oil or a white vinegar compress can help relieve some of the discomfort these infections may cause.
Workin’ on a Tan
While Katy Perry encourages you to get toned, tanned, fit and ready for action this summer, perhaps you might consider skipping the tanning part. According to skincancer.org, there is no such thing as a healthy tan. Tanning is “skin’s response to the sun’s damaging rays.” However, as tall, dark and handsome seems to be the stereotype of male attraction, countless people hit the beach or the tanning bed year round to bake their skin a crispy golden brown. According to Harvard Medical School’s Women’s Health Watch, tanning beds give off three times the amount of UVA radiation than that of natural sunlight – radiation that can lead to skin cancers and early-onset aging of the skin (wrinkles).
Sissy that Walk
Summertime and sandals seem to go hand in hand, but little do you know, the flip flops on your feet could lead to your defeat. A 2013 study by the University of Miami found that flip flops may contain over 18,000 bacteria, many of which could lead to athlete’s foot, warts or boils.
Wear Protection
Wearing sunscreen is of vital importance to the health of your skin during the summer months. Anytime you are exposed to the sun, you are at risk of getting burnt, but according to the Center for Disease Control, the sun is the most “hazardous” between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Applying a broad spectrum sunscreen works best as a preventative measure. A minimum SPF15 is recommended, but using a higher dosage like 30 or 45 will increase your protection during longer exposure. However, whether you use SPF 15 or SPF 100, the sunscreen will only be affective if it is re-applied every two hours or as labeled on its packaging.
With summer in full swing, take the time now to make sure you’re doing everything possible to protect the skin you’re in so you’re not paying for it later. Happy summer!
